A Cat Ear for Music
by Mizu falls from Kumo
Summary: He was born like that, she was born normal. He was her teacher, she was his student. He had a secret, she found out. "I was born like this. Some kind of curse." suck at sums, please read. Rating may change.
1. New music teacher

_Only last Friday did I wonder what was so interesting about Shugo Chara, only to it was actually rather good. I feel in love with the Ikuto and Amu pairing, totally loving the idea of them. I also fell in love with Ikuto as well, he became my fave character and Yoru is just so cute. Any way, I was thinking and surprisingly an AU came before anything else. Once again it isn't something that's Avatar the Last Airbender, and I hope on also doing this one and my DNAngel story here as well. Oh boy._

_I disown everything, however I storyline ideas is kinda mine, and I'm not sure if any OC's will pop up so yeah. I disown the characters from Shugo Chara!  
_

* * *

"I heard there's a new music teacher this year." Some girls whispered about, of course it was the truth, there was a new music teacher. There were many rumors about them, only the staff had really seen, but even then they didn't know him. Rumors were started by students who over heard. He had come in mid year, after problems with the old woman who use to teach music.

There hadn't been music class for weeks, just an empty room, where some students would just go to play, having no one to shoe them out. The staff searched and search for someone else and then they found him. "Fresh out of college," as some staff members had put it, but the fact was he was still in college, just taken later class, needed more time for a job. It was the principle's daughter who actually pulled him to the beautiful music she was hearing.

Tons and tons of rumors had formed about him, and Amu was growing tired of her friends chattering not stop about them. She just wanted music back, she didn't really care if they found some old woman. He only come to the school once, just to see what he was dealing with, still very few people saw him walking about the halls.

Today was the first day with music class again. Everyone was happy, the girls had more reasons then one, but Amu could care less about the teacher. She filed her way to class, just like every other student, talking her seat, knowing today would be nothing but a meet and greet sort of day. Maybe that was why 90 percent of the girls were close to the front.

Amu sighed as the bell rang, and the rest of the students filled in, taking their seats waiting for the teacher. The door opened, and in strolled someone who seemed far too young to be teaching a class. They were early twenties, freshly out of teens is what he was. He was tall, rather lengthy as well. Navy blue hair resting on his head in an organized mess, and the same color eyes scanned over his students.

There was a blank express worn, with a mixture of sadness, pain, and a burden trying to find their way out. He placed the case that seemed to hold a violin on the floor by his desk, before heading back to the head of the class. It was in one swift motion, not missing a single beat. Chalk in hand he wrote his last name, 'Tsukiyoma' is what it read. He sighed before turning to the class, girls already cooling him cool.

"I'm the new music teacher." He said simply, no real emotion present. "So I guess I'll be teaching you music, any questions."

Every girl raised their hand, completely won over. Questions poured out and he answered every single one, with little interest at all. His first name was Ikuto, he had tossed that out there like it was nothing. He didn't listen to the radio much, there for not listening to much music. He had a mother, a father, a step-father, and a younger sister. He liked cats, and was a very skilled violinist like his real father. The bell rang before more questions could be asked, Amu was happy about that.

"He was cool." Yaya cheered happily, sprinting a head of her friend. "Don't you think so Amu-chan."

"Whatever." Amu said cooly, pushing some stray pink hair behind her ear. "As long as we had music I'm happy."

Everyone seemed to agree to that, and the rest of the day went by smoothly. Amu however was forced to stay after school, with cleaning duty. Not that it bothered her, but it was just her, the other people who had to help her was out sick, though it was strange to have them both out. However Amu had seen them the day before and there looked like they were really sick, so it was just a rare thing.

It took her longer then she thought, even most of the clubs had gone home, but the room was spotless, and she could always use the club excuse or the fact that she had to help someone. She did that a lot, helped someone as she passed them, it was only normal, and she was in a rather busy club with meeting at random. She grabbed her things and started down toward the lockers with her shoes, only to hear a soft musical sound.

She knew it was coming for the music room, but there was really no one in the school any more. Curiously had completely murdered the cat this time. She strolled down the hall, doing he best to make the least amount of sound possible, inching her way to the door. It was clearly a violin, but it was a sad and lonely song, but it was beautiful all together. Slowly her hand found the door and slid it open, just a bit. There was Tsukiyoma-sensi, or what looked to be him from the crack she was peeking through. His eyes were closed, and the music just seemed to flow about the room and down the hall.

The door opened more, Amu took a step in, just lost in the music, as beautiful as it was. Her golden eyes widened, sure enough it was her teacher, or what looked like him at least. Whatever it was had to same cloths, down to the little cross he was wearing, same hair, same height , same everything but…

* * *

_Please RXR, _


	2. Tsukiyomi's secret

_-blinks at numbers of reviews- That's a lot in less then 24 hours of posting this. Amazing what a good cliff can do. -evil laugh- Any way this on has a suckish cliff but there is more goodness to come. XD. I'll have a recap at the bottom for yall._

_I disown everything except the storyline, and possible OC  
_

* * *

"You're ears…?" Amu observed and Ikuto stopped playing completing, looking at her shocked. The navy blue cat ears, pulled back against his hair, as he just looked at her. His tail twitched, dancing behind him in a cat like fashion, so easy like it was string in a light wind.

"What about them?" He asked coolly, watching her still shocked.

"They're cat ears…and you have a tail too."

"I've noticed."

"Why?"

The cat eyes popped up again, listening, making sure the question was heard correctly. The tail danced some more behind him. All the wonder he had built up faded and everything dropped, the tail only swaying slightly, and ears feel to the side of his head, and he looked away. "I was born like this. Some kind of curse."

"Born like that?" Amu asked with a tilt of her head. Ikuto took a step closer too, and continued the process, till he was towering over her. He leaned down, leaving only a small space between her nose and his, wearing a smirk the whole time.

"Yes, just like how you were born a female, I was born like this." He chuckled at Amu's blush. "But you won't know what its like to be born…different."

"But why a…cat?"

"That's what we'd like to know." A small childish voice asked. Ikuto turned towards it with a sigh, straitening up as well.

"Yoru, what are you doing here?" Ikuto asked, as a smaller cat like human hovered over. It was cute; eyes seemed to be filled with wonder and trouble, as it came to rest on his shoulder, staring down Amu.

"I followed you." Yoru said happily, almost childishly.

"Why?"

"It's my job to look after you, and make sure no one finds out about your ears." Yoru informed, glaring at Amu.

"You're a little too late for that." Ikuto said, eyeing Amu as well. "What to do with her is the question." Amu gulped, before finding she had been cornered, and away from the door. Ikuto looked at her with a smirk, his tail moving about in a way that could only mean something bad. Ikuto's cat ears were also raised in a way that could only mean something bad.

"I won't tell anyone." Amu pleaded, but that didn't stop the look.

"We could keep her after school; let her go home when we do." Yoru suggested, it only made the tail twitch more and the smirk deepen.

"I don't see why not." Ikuto said, darkly.

"I have stuff to do after school, and my parents would never agree." Amu said.

"I'm helping you with music." Ikuto said bluntly.

"I don't need any help!"

"What do you play?"

"Drums." Amu had chose them because they were easy, something she could easily master.

"From now on, it's the violin." Ikuto said with a smirk. "This means of course, that you'll have to come in after school and practice. In order to catch up with the rest of the class, seeing as how you changed your instrument."

"That's not fair." Amu defended, watching the two cats as they exchanged glances.

"I can always find other ways to keep you here." Ikuto said taking strides towards her, cupping her chin. He leaned close to her ear. "A lot of other ways." He whispered, before she shoved him off, he stumbled backward with a smirk.

"Pervert!" Amu snapped, before storming out of the room, hating the fact she had even wandered to the sound. She stormed off of the campus, hopping this time her parents would buy the whole club think, it was getting rather late.

* * *

"Really?" Amu's father asked, little did he know it was a lie, but the teacher talking to him had a secret to keep.

"Yes, she heard me playing after school, and wanted to know how to play like that. She just switched, and I don't want her to get behind." Ikuto said into the phone, watching from his room as Amu stormed home. "It was sudden, and I stay way late after school anyway with nothing to do, so it's no burden."

"Strange, that doesn't seem like her at all. Will she need a new instrument?" Amu's father asked, still unaware of the smirk Ikuto was wearing.

"No, I'm sure we can find one for her in the school."

"If anything really is needed, don't be afraid to let us know."

"Ok." Ikuto said before hanging up the phone with a smirk. "Come on, Yoru let's go home." Yoru happily followed behind him happily.

* * *

Amu was going to kill him, flat out kill him with anything she could find. Her parents were puzzled when she arrived home, asking her reason's for why she changed instruments. She played along, saying it was some random choice that forced itself on her. She stormed off to her room shortly after dinner, dreading the next day. Wanting to be sick as a dog and miss school, sadly it didn't happen.

Now she was walking to homeroom, doing her best to not run into Tsukiyomi-sensi at all. However he was waiting for her at the top of the stairs, right by her classroom. He was wearing a smirk, although to other students it may look like some sort of glaring smile.

There was no cat eyes sitting on top of his head, not tail swinging behind them. Maybe Amu had just dreamed that part, made it up in her mind to give herself some weird reason for what actually happened. He got off the wall and brush past her, going to his room, greeting a few students, with a small 'yo' and not stopping.

"Amu-chan, what are you looking at?" Yaya whined, tugging at her friend's sleeve.

"Nothing, nothing." Amu insured, turning to Yaya and Rima.

"Lair." Rima said bluntly and walked off to class, or the comfort of her servants.

Amu and Yaya sighed before joining her. Yaya knew better to pry at Amu, especially when she was like this. However she did, and no good answer came forth, or nothing that could really mean anything. Yaya sighed giving up, and Amu sighed for the fact that she would have to skip her club meeting this afternoon. She didn't know what she was going to tell the king, or how she was going to tell him.

"Yaya-chan?" Amu asked, and her younger friend turned to her, who in turn turned as well. "Can you tell Tadase-kun, I can't come to the club meeting today?"

"Why?" Rima asked, over hearing.

"Because I'm holding her for music lessons." A clearly older male voice sound, Amu knew it too well. She didn't need the fan girls squealing about in front of her too know.

"Tsukiyomi-sensi!" Yaya said excitedly. "Really?"

He nodded, before turning on his heels and all together leaving. Amu didn't once look at him, to angry about the fact of him calling her parents. However she masked her anger well, and was able to get through most of the day fine. It was only his class that made the blood boil even more then before.

During attendance, he kept the same blank face, and it she must have been the only one who noticed his voice wore a smirk when he called her name. She could picture the slender navy blue tail swaying in a you're-mine sort of way when he looked up at her. However the class noticed nothing between the two, no they saw he was just being a normal teacher, a normal hot teacher.

The second day was another meet and greet, the left over questions from the day before spilled over. Amu learned more about him, or more lies he had cooked up. He had a black cat named Yoru, a little human talking cat named Yoru was more like it. He liked chocolate as well, girls started chattering on about that soon after it left his mouth. There were other things too, but Amu was too busy staring him down to actually listen to the rest.

His class was over far to slow, and his goodbye to her was the fact that he would see her later, no matter what. She didn't really want to figure out what he was going to do if she didn't come, but she hoped he would at least let her have some time with her friends before they all left. He didn't really, claiming he was on his break when he pulled her away from her friends, they didn't argue at the fact, she on the other hand did.

* * *

_Please RXR again_

_Review-_

_-Ikuto's ears are actually cat ears, and he had a real tail, he doesn't get them from having Yoru. Yoru's kinda like his guardine that came with the 'curse', which I will explain later one._

_-Amu is 16 and Ikuto is 21 to 22_

_-Ikuto's still a prevy cat, haha, you have to love him for that, and he's also a tricky one too  
_


	3. First Lesson

_Finally I updated again. I've had this done for a while, but I figured its better to get ahead than anything else. So while I write chapter 7 I will be updating some more for you all. Anyway, This chapter is slightly OOC, but you know I did my best, beside Ikuto is cute when he's confused._

_I disown everything but the storyline.  
_

* * *

"Where are we going?!" Amu snapped, ripping her arm out of his hand. They had walked past the music room not to far back, and Tsukiyomi-sensi was just walking.

"Finding you a violin." He said with a sigh as he turned to her. "I'm sure theirs one your size around here."

"But where are we going?" He shrugged, did he really just feel like walking at the time. "Tsukiyomi-sensi!"

"Ikuto." He corrected, rather bluntly. "I don't know where to look for extra instruments; I thought I might just stubble across it."

"All the music stuff is in you're room, idiot." She looked over at his blank face, she could picture the ears and tail standing in a questionable manner. She sighed, taking his had like a child and pulling him off to his room, to the music room. Yoru greeted them warmly when Ikuto closed the door, lunging himself at his head.

Ikuto's ears came out of hiding, and his tail did as well, moving about behind him with little care. He walked over to some door that most likely lead to a closet and opened the door. He wandered into the darkness, Yoru still attacked to his head. Amu rolled her eyes before walking over and flicking the light one so she could help, not seeing why he went in without a light in the first place.

"How can you see with no light on?!" She grumbled, and he looked over at her confused. Did she notice the cat ears and tail that was swaying ever so slightly?

"Cat." He said bluntly before turning back to his searching.

"Cat?" Amu asked, confused by the random word.

"Yes, cat." He pointed to his ears. "I have cat like abilities to go with the ears and tail."

Amu huffed, but didn't say anything, helping him search. They searched for hours, and with luck found on Amu's size. It fit her perfectly, but there were still things to be learned. Amu looked at the clock hoping he would let her go, she had what she need and she still had homework too do. However he was smirking when his closed the closet door and walked over too her.

"We're done here." He said, and Amu jumped about happy she could get away from him. "That doesn't mean I'm letting you go."

"But you said we were done." Amu snapped turning to him sharply, he didn't notice. He grabbed a hat and placed it on his head, most likely hiding his ears. His tail seemed to hid away, and he grabbed his things, with was just his violin and Yoru.

"I said we were done here, not done." He said watching her closely.

"That's not fair, where will we go?!"

"Out." He said simply, pausing in front of her. "It's not safe for me to go him when it's light outside. I need time to waste."

"Why do I have to come!"

"Because I might possibly teach you something."

"Like what?!"

"If I told you, you probably won't come."

"I'm not going."

* * *

He was different when he was in public, much more to himself, not wanting to bump into some one. He had his reasons, that she knew, but he was just so different. He had always seemed like some sort of lone animal, wither it be wolf or cat, but in public he was alone among his own kind. It saddened him almost; he knew he didn't fit in. Maybe that's why he was talking the back alleys and side streets to get to the park.

Amu followed in toe, watching him from the distance, which wasn't much. Yoru was happily hiding in on of his coat pockets. His hands were in his pant pockets, and he was just strolling along in front of her, or slightly, he kept her in his peripheral vision, that she was sure.

"Tsukiyomi-sensi?" She asked, having no clue why she even spoke.

"Ikuto." He replied not turning to face her, just looking at head of him. "Call me Ikuto, seeing as you know my secret."

"Ah…Ikuto?"

"Hm?"

"Do you avoid people?"

"I try too."

"Why?"

He stopped, not turning his head, or anything like that, just looking straight ahead. "'A child with cat ears and tail is not normal. Cursed is what he is.' I've just learned to be like that, it been like that for as long as I can remember."

"Ikuto…" Amu whispered watching him; she had stopped too, still behind him. "Why aren't you avoiding me?" She asked out loud.

"You're fun to tease." He said, before walking again, Amu held back the want to attack him.

Amu huffed and let it go, allowing him to continue leading to a place she didn't know. She may be fun to tease but she figured he didn't get to be…well…normal often. Seeing how he had avoided people on the street probably meant there was little communication between him and a third party. However Amu figured there were few people who would understand his situation, much less except him for the ears and tail. She didn't know why she did.

He led her down an alley way, talking the path only a cat would. He didn't fit into either world, but that didn't mean there were pluses to what he was. Whatever his curse was there had to be some part of it that worked for him. He wasn't hurting in the looks department, and being sneaky and able to see in the dark weren't at all.

"We're here." He said plainly, stopping where the ally opened up to the back side of the park. It was covered in trees, and Amu knew the park wall must have been close by.

"Why are we here?" Amu asked, looking at him with no expression.

"Cause I have plans." He said darkly, he was wearing a rather seductive face, and Amu froze. He was so different with emotion on his face, he looked…normal. He snorted at his expression before chuckling. His chuckling turned to laugher, a musical laughter, light and floating, but something that hardly seemed to come out.

"What's so funny?!" Amu snapped blushing. His laughter was her answer, but she didn't push him any more. "So why are we here?"

"People won't come running when they hear you playing." He said as the laughter left him, a smug look on his face. "It will probably sound like your killing a cat or something." His tail swayed about at the irony of the statement.

"You're going to teach me how to play?"

"Isn't that why I'm holding you after so?" He said it puzzled but also smugly.

"It's because I saw your ears and tail." Amu snapped at him, glaring. His hat twitched, probably his ears moving around as they played out his emotion at the time.

"Whatever, just play." He said swatting his hand about.

Amu sighed, removing the violin from its case. She knew she was going to suck, she didn't know anything, and she would kill him just by playing. Amu would really be killing a cat in a sense; it was her turn to giggle at the irony. She took a deep breath; surely he knew she knew nothing. "What do I play?" She asked, looking over at him, he raised an eyebrow. "I don't know any songs!"

"I don't either, or really." He said smoothly. "Just play what you feel."

She felt like killing him. Amu put the bow to the strings, and started playing, it was horrible. She watched him stiffen and a shiver crawl down his spine. His ears were down probably, and his tail was sticking straight out. He covered his ears, and worked his way over to the horrible sound. Ikuto's hand on the bow stopped Amu's deadly music from killing anything with ears.

"That was bad." She pointed out bluntly.

"That was horrible." He corrected with a sigh. "I have a lot to do. How troublesome."

"It was my first time ever playing the violin!" Amu shouted, gripping the instrument tightly as she glared at him.

"I noticed." Amu growled, putting it away before she broke anything and he made her pay for it. "It's not hard once you learn the notes and such."

"Really?" She acted shocked, he wasn't fazed.

"You can leave if you want. I'll find you tomorrow." Ikuto said bored and watched her stare at him. "You don't know how to get home…do you?" She nodded, he sighed. "All right." Ikuto grabbed his things, and brushed past her, again she followed him.

It was up and down the alleys like before, the sun was setting so it was growing darker. The sky was growing orange and clouds blushed pick. Again, Amu watched his back; he had his hands in his pockets just like before. The sidewalks and streets were growing ever busier, but they stuck to alley ways and back streets, fewer people were there anyway.

"Ikuto?" She asked, finding it weird to even call him that.

He turned his head to her, but other wise gave no verbal response.

"You said you were cursed. What exactly is the curse?"

"It depends on how you look at it. Everyone looks at it different, but they blame it on one stupid thing." Ikuto spat out.

"What?"

"My father's violin."

* * *

_Yet another cliffy, and a good one too, or so I think. Please RXR_


	4. Ikuto's Past

_I'm quick to update, I know, but I have this done and it will not sit and collect cyber dust on my watch. Anyway, its Ikuto's past, and some explaination to the 'curse' as he calls it. YOu guys are really going to like what's coming. I just know it._

_I disown everything but the storyline.  
_

* * *

Amu froze. His father caused him to be like that and yet he seemed to like him more then his step father or mother. He played the same instrument as the one that could have caused him to be like that. He most have seen the plus side to being half and half. Yoru peered out of his pocket, before actually coming out and floating by Amu.

"My father was a good man, probably the only one who tried to make me feel…normal." Ikuto laughed. "Because every kid is born with cat ears and a tail. But he tried to make it seem like I could fit in with other people, other humans and such. However he couldn't change what other people thought, or what other people blamed.

"'What a shame, playing his violin for his wife because he loved her and his son is some freak'. It was always something like that. He never touched the violin when my mother was pregnant with my sister, as much as she wanted something he played, he denied her, because he didn't want her to be crushed again. My sister was born normal, and I was shoved out of life.

"Then my father left one year, just left us, and I took the heavy burden he had carried for me. My mother was weak hearted as it was; she just lost it, doing her best to keep me away from the world my sister was so loved in. Eventually my mother broke down, and we lived with a family friend till things got better."

"Ikuto?" Yoru asked, for Ikuto had paused, obliviously hitting something hard.

"I left home when it became too much, and my mother sent me my father's violin." Ikuto looked at his hand. "I can't describe what I am; only that I am it, and I can't be like everyone else."

"But you teach at the school!" Amu shouted.

"He didn't exactly go out of his way to get it." Yoru said. "It was safer though."

"Safer?"

"We should go Yoru, its getting late." Ikuto walked off, and Yoru followed, hurrying to catch up with his master or friend. They left Amu in the coming night, but she was in a spot where she could get him with out getting lost. She did, but that didn't mean she couldn't stop thinking about what was said.

* * *

Ikuto had learned a lot of things since he was little, since everything, since he ran away, since he came into being. He was different, people didn't like different, different was bad. He learned to block out people, make it so he existed in the world no one saw, he walked the barely lit streets, the shadow draped alley ways. He had learned not to let people close, he learned to fight, to fend for himself, he didn't need people, at all, Yoru was enough company as it was.

However there were still things he did that he didn't understand why he did them. He played in the park mainly for money, but he was sure it was to also get noticed, to be seen like person, not whatever he was. Ikuto didn't know why he took the teacher job, hardly older then the people he was teaching. He also had no clue why he told Amu what he told her. That painful part of his past.

Did he want someone to feel for him? To pity him? To hear his side of the story? His reasons? It was like he would gain something, but it's not like he would.

Yoru had questioned him once Amu was out of hearing range. Ikuto blocked him out as well. Few people knew about Yoru, his father didn't learn about him, Utau had found him, that was of course after wondering how her brother could smile and laugh when he was really in a lonely world. Yoru was his first real best friend, even before he meet her.

Ikuto arrived at the abandoned apartments he lived in. He didn't have too much money and buying food was more important then using that money for rent. Besides no one really remembered these apartments any more, and a side from the few students, or teens that gathered for whatever it was quiet. No one bothered him, and no one found him either.

Ikuto skipped dinner that night, to tired to actually raid the fridge for something to eat. He plopped down on a mat and rolled over, once again ignoring Yoru who was watching him worriedly, knowing he didn't usually openly tell people about himself. Especially his past, so whatever he needed to think about he would need the alone time to do that, that meant Yoru could have some fun. He did just that, leaving Ikuto to himself.

Sleep didn't come, or not at first, memories however flooded forward. The gates where open and Ikuto was think about them, nothing stopped them.

* * *

_There was a knock on his door, from someone short, it sounded low. Whoever it was they were young, he could tell, but he didn't know why they were there, no one bothered him, or at least without some signature way of saying his name. This knock was hesitant, maybe that's what made him so curious as to who was on the other side. There weren't very small children in the house, his sister was the only one really, but he hardly saw her, and the same could be said about her as well._

"_Iku..to" Whoever it was they knew he was there, obviously hearing from when his father came or his mother popped in. His ears turned towards the door, his tail dancing about in a curious fashion, head tilted. _

_He crept towards the door, opening it just a crack to find it was his sister, the one he only saw when he went outside in public, wearing his hat and hiding his tail. "Utau?" He questioned. "What are you doing here? If mother sees you here she'll get mad."_

"_Ikuto." She said again. "Play."_

"_No, I can't…"_

"_Play!" She demanded, just as their searching mother rounded the corner._

"_Utau-chan there you are." She said, paying little heed to her son. "Come on; let's go out in the backyard."_

"_Ikuto!" She pointed at the door, making his eyes widen, as well as his mother. "Play too!" She insisted, and she won. He was allowed to play with her, she was still young, she wouldn't really remember day's like this. He earned his nickname from her that day, only minutes after she pulled him off somewhere. "Ikuto-neko." She chanted, and he smiled gently to himself._

_

* * *

_"_The nerve of him!" The woman hissed to her husband the man who had kindly taken them in. "Leaving his wife and children like that!"_

"_He as reasons." The man insisted, they still hadn't met them yet. They still didn't know, they didn't know about the ears and the tail, they didn't know about the cat boy they were taking in. The door opened and it didn't take them long to figure out, but the man seemed to understand the woman didn't get it all._

"_They want us to take care of that!" She hissed again, low and full of disgust. "That's why he left, his cursed son. An unlucky black cat is what he is!"_

_

* * *

_"_Ikuto-kun, where are you going?" Utau asked, her purple eyes fixed on him standing in the soft snowfall. He wore a hat, with a bag at his side, violin case on his back, and thick coat. He wasn't looking at her, just down._

"_I don't know, but I can't stay. She doesn't like me, its better this way." He said, his breath in white poofs._

"_Will you come back?" He shrugged, not knowing if he would, only the fact that it was the best thing to do, the right thing. Yoru was hiding in the fur of his coat, happily warm. "You have to come back, or I'll find you."_

_He sighed, she was troublesome, but he promised he would, that was of course before he ran off into the falling snow, finding a place to say, hoping he would be warm. However there was no one to complain about him being cursed or a burden or a reason for things that happened. Out there he was just Ikuto, and no one seemed to object to him._

_

* * *

He was fifteen and broke, two things that never went together great. He could get a job, but how long would it last. He could always play for money, but what attention would that bring. He was stuck, broke, and hungry, Yoru was no different, and he was worse then a little kid sometimes. It was spring break, so that meant no school lunch, which he was having a hard time affording anyway, but it was something._

_His phone rang, and he rolled his eyes, it was only a month ago that his sister found him and forced a phone on him, she called daily. She was still love crazed for him, he didn't see the point. His stomach growled, if he answered she would as tons of questions, and he wasn't in the mood for answering any. His stomach growled again, more like roared, and he wanted to find some source of money. Maybe playing in the park wouldn't be so bad._

"_Oi, Tsukiyomi-kun!" One of his 'friends' from school called, he cursed in his head, they found him, bags and all. "Hey are you going some where?"_

_He hesitated answering, his stomach growled again, and he dropped his head defeated, he got the point he was hungry. "Kinda." He said, and he wasn't lying._

"_We were just going to go eat some ramen; you look like you could use something to eat." Another one observed, while his girlfriend gave a small giggle. _

"_You look like you need a lot of things." She said simply, and they all started off to the ramen shop. Extra was bought and safe travels were wished, he was just happy to eat something._

_

* * *

He was playing his father's violin in the park, it was late and there was a music festival not to far off, so no one would notice. He didn't need anyone too, he wanted to play and he like being about to be out in public. He didn't feel like attending his college courses, he already was a head, enough credits to have graduated by now, but few seemed to notice them. Besides, he felt like playing, something that he felt was nice to do when he needed to express himself somehow._

"_Don't you hear that!" Someone said in awe, his ears caught it, but it wasn't something he felt he needed to worry about. "It's so sad, but beautiful at the same time."_

"_You're right, it is." Another said, in awe as well, still nothing at worried him._

"_Its coming from this way, come one Dad!" They called and ran towards something, no him, but he was too caught up in playing to even really notice. "Amazing." They were talking about the scene in front of them, not the music. Ikuto was standing in front of bright semi full moon, being silhouetted by the light, just playing his heart away._

"_Excuse me, sir." The other called, clearly an older male, and Ikuto stopped, slowly dropping his stance and turning to him. _

"_Hm?" Ikuto asked back._

"_You wouldn't happen to want a job." Yoru brightened at this, that meant money, which meant food, good food, fish even._

"_What kind of job?"_

"_A music teacher at my high school." Ikuto sighed, it was somewhere, he could play music and probably get away with the sad tone he usually played. _

"_Take it Ikuto; we might not get a break like this again." Yoru reasoned from behind his shirt._

"_Fine." He said, and started putting his violin away. "Here's my number." He said handing a small sheet of paper as he walked, by ready to go home and fall asleep, for it was a busy day. Only a few days later did he have an interview and a job. Only a week or so later he had some one find out hi secret._

* * *

"He never picks up any more." Utau complained to the unlucky ear who found her one the street, a childhood friend really. "He still has to be in town through; I know he is, he wouldn't leave randomly."

"Maybe you shouldn't call him every day." A blonde boy, next to the blonde singer said. Tadase sighed. "He might be busy too."

"He could call back."

"He ran away from home when he was he was ten, it took you five years to find him again. Utau-chan, maybe he just doesn't want you to know what's going on in his life. Besides why are you so worried, he never really played with us to begin with."

"He had his reasons."

"What were they exactly? He was too old for us? To mature? To cool?" Tadase snapped.

"I can't tell you why Ikuto-neko was like that." Utau said, looking away from a confused Tadase. All those years he knew both her and her brother, he never got around to figuring out why she called him that. However in his mind her brother was a cold person, never comfortable in large crowds, or in public, he was much happier being alone in his room.

"Exactly…just leave him alone."

Utau nodded, but she won't stop, she loved her brother, maybe a little more the most sisters should, but she did. She remembered when he snapped at her not tell anyone about what his secret. She had found out when he was eight, and she remembered that day so well.

"_Ikuto-kun, come play!" She complained to her brother, who was hanging back in the shadows. It was just them in the backyard of there house, and he had some how slipped out of his room for some air, and she caught him. She could tell, he froze, and for once she noticed he wasn't wearing a hat like usual, he blue hair was left to the open._

_She raced over and grabbed his hand, pulling him to play with her. Hide and seek is what she wanted, and he agreed, and while she counted he played along and hid in a tree. While she was looking, the branch he was one broke and he landed gently on his feet. He looked the same but there were cat ears resting on his head, a tail twitching about behind him._

"_Ikuto…kun?" She questioned, and he stiffened._

"_You can't tell anyone, you hear me anyone. You can't tell them that you know, it can be our secret, just don't tell mom, she'll get mad at me." He said quickly as he drew back into the shadows. "No one you hear, no matter what."_

Utau sighed, and finished up the rest of the ramen she ordered with her friend Tadase. She parted ways with him, heading back to the house her 'family' had just bought.

* * *

_Yes, chapter 4, done and done. By the way the Italic is flashback/memories. Please RXR_


	5. King and Cat meet again

_I'm sorry of some of the chapters are shorter then others, I'm really trying to keep them all the same length. Key word trying. Any way, I know its a lot of updates in one day but I don't have school so I'm free till next week, well for the most part._

_I disown everything except the story line.  
_

* * *

Weeks past, and Ikuto had done his best to teach Amu what he knew. He wasn't a bad teacher, just slightly too flirty. His class ran smoothly, his voice however still wore the smirk that no one caught. He had the class playing things now, well everyone except Amu, whose seat was moved to more then dead in front of him. It's not that Amu hated him, but she didn't like the he treated her just because she knew his secret.

She was getting in trouble with the Guardians, for they always demanded why she skipped out on a meeting. Ikuto was always there when one asked at school, the merely looked him over, he smiled in his smug little way. No one asked anything else of him. Tadase usually called the night of the meeting, Ikuto wasn't there to answer and she could talk freely.

Tadase found just about everything wrong with what was going on. Amu seemed to blush and the first few he brought up, and he was rather annoyed at having to say them every time. But usually he figured she didn't have much time for homework, and she was practicing on the weekend, or doing something weird for him.

It was Thursday night and Amu had missed yet another meeting, thanks to her cat eared music teacher, who when he wasn't a pain was someone she wanted to get around to knowing more. Tadase had called, like usual, around seven or so; he knew she was home by then. She had had a long day, and Ikuto hadn't made it any shorter, he was a lot colder and harder on her lately.

"Hinamori-san, you missed another meeting today." Tadase pointed out.

"I know, I'm sorry, but you know where I was." Amu said clearly annoyed and ashamed.

"Yeah, off killing some cat." Amu chuckled at the statement.

"Am I really that bad?"

"For a while you were, it's much better now." Amu agreed with that, Ikuto had taught her all the notes and how to play, he was giving her songs to practice with. He didn't look like he sensitive hearing was going to kill him anymore. He complained and teased but Amu knew she was getting better.

"I know, there are less…dying cats." Amu literally meant that, Yoru and Ikuto, both cats in a way, had looked like minutes were being shaved off by her playing. "I finally know all the notes and stuff."

"So the lessons should be ending soon, correct?" Tadase asked. "I mean, you have class, and you can learn there too."

"I don't know, it's really not up to me."

"Who does this new music teacher think he is?!" Tadase snapped, he had yet to learn Ikuto's name.

"I don't know. Hey, look I have homework to do, maybe I'll see you tomorrow and you can fill me in later." Amu said before biding goodbye and hanging up the phone. She started her homework without another word.

* * *

Amu was late getting out of class, no doubt Ikuto would bother he about being late to his lessons. He would probably make her do things not even related to music. She left her class room, bag in hand and started down the hall to the music room. She wasn't expecting Tadase-kun to be sitting there waiting for her out side her class room door. He had some random need to speak his mind to the so called great music teacher.

"Tadase-kun, you really don't have to, I'm sure I'll be free from this soon enough." Amu assured as they neared the door, surely Ikuto had heard the more then one pairs of footsteps had hid his ears and tail, she didn't want Tadase being dragged down as well.

"I just don't think it's fair." Tadase pointed out, reaching for the door to open it.

"You sure have grown up…Kiddy King." The bored voice of Ikuto rang through them. Amu froze, looking over at the smug little look of Ikuto; he seemed to be lounging about his desk. "Why'd you bring him?" He snapped.

"He…came along." Amu defended, hating what he could possibly do.

"Ikuto-nii-san!" Tadase shouted shocked, and Amu snapped her head towards him. "Utau-chan is looking for you!"

"When is she not?"

"You should answer her calls or call back or something!"

"No. I have my reasons why I don't call or whatever. Now take your kingy self and leave." Ikuto demanded getting up out of his seat. "If I find out you did tell, Utau where I am, I'll make sure you were wrong."

Tadase growled, turning on his heels and looking like he was going to storm away. "Hinamori-san, we should leave."

"But, my lesson…" Amu started.

"Is canceled for today. I can't have you hanging around with a lying unlucky black cat." Tadase said pulling her along, Amu didn't get to see Ikuto's face when she was ripped away. She didn't fight Tadase either; happy she could at least have one free day to herself, and a Friday too.

* * *

"Ikuto?" Yoru asked, floating by his master who was looking out the window, watching the two teen leave, one storm and the other being dragged behind. His hands were in his pockets, and his face clearly looked like he was thinking about something. "Ikuto?"

"He's obviously changed." Ikuto observed. "But he is right about one thing."

"The unlucky black cat part?"

"Yeah, now what do we do for the rest of the day?" Ikuto said leaving the window and going for his hat and jacket. Placing his hat on his head he left without another word, and Yoru raced behind him, hiding when he got close enough.

* * *

Tadase didn't slow down until the school was a while away, clearly out of sight. It was a solid thirty minutes of him storming away, driven by the hatred he had. He had clearly ignored Amu's demands to stop or slow down. However he finally slowed when he came back to his senses, Amu had stopped asking to stop or at least slow down to a speed she could keep up on.

Amu knew he was clearly mad, and Ikuto's little demands or talk or whatever it was with him had done little to help. Tadase never liked Ikuto, found him too cold, but in the times Ikuto had come out and played or been there, he seemed shier then he actually was cold. However the insecure shyness never won Tadase offer, and when he left, Tadase never really forgave him.

He sighed, and looked over at Amu, she just looked confused, possibly worried, but it was hard to tell. "You know him?" She asked with a tilt of her head.

"I _knew_ him." Tadase snapped. "A while ago, before he left everything."

"I'm sure he had his reasons." Amu said looking down at her shoes. "Their probably good ones too."

"You sound like his sister." Tadase said slightly calmer. "Like you know something about him that he won't tell anyone else. You wouldn't happen to know something he would keep from other people?"

"Kinda." Amu admitted shyly. "But I found out on accident."

"You're not going to tell me what, are you?"

"No, I promised him I wouldn't." That wasn't a lie she had, but he still held her after school, all thanks to Yoru's little idea. "I think I should go him, and practice or something." Amu said looking down before taking off without another word.

The rest of that night she was rather quiet, to herself, thinking about what had happened today. Ikuto. Tadase. Every word they spoke, it was strange, Ikuto's were teasing, the only thing he could actually find fun. Tadase however were cold and too the point, he really didn't like Ikuto and knew something Amu didn't.

Her parents were shocked she was home when they got home, but didn't really say much or point it out, noting her quietness, she really was thinking about something. Her homework was done early and she was just lying on her bed staring at the ceiling, thinking mindlessly. There was a soft thump, and she sat up on her bed at looked over at her balcony. No one was there, but curiously had her yet again.

She opened the sliding glass door and stepped out, sighing as she leaned against the rail. She looked up at the moon, wondering what the two people she was thinking about were doing. Tadase was probably doing homework or something productive with his life. Ikuto, however she didn't really have a clue, he could be playing his violin, or be at his secret spot, or…

"You use strawberry shampoo?" His voice sent a shiver done her spine; it was so close to her ear. She turned around, finding his blue eyes looking at her lazily, she blushed cherry. Or he could behind her, smelling her head.

"Ah, what are you doing here!?" She snapped at him, and he smirked a little and backed off, giving her some needed space.

"Didn't have much to do this afternoon." He said shrugging. "That and the fact that I can't stop thinking about you."

"Huh?" Amu froze looking over at him. He was leaning against the railing, ears out and tail twitching, he did look kinda cute standing there. He snorted, and she blushed, he was teasing again. However something stopped her from finding something to hit him on the head with. He was laughing; it was something it seemed that was rarely heard. It was much like his voice, deep with the air of mystery, only there was no hidden pain, or misunderstanding, no burden was heard, it was just pure laughter. "You're mean." Amu snapped looking away from him.

"I can't help myself." Ikuto said lightly, his tail twitching about behind him.

"Ikuto?" He looked over at her. "Did you really know Tadase-kun?"

He chuckled lightly. "Yeah, I did. His father took me and my sister in a while back. He never really liked me, I don't know why, but he can't accept that I have reasons for the things I do." Ikuto sighed, and looked away. "I should leave you alone, you still have to practice."

"How did you know?!" Amu snapped at him, he couldn't have been spying for that long.

"I told you I have nothing to do." He laughed at her blushing face. "Don't worry; I know when to look away. But seriously practice, take the advice I gave you on the first day." With that he was gone, jumped off the balcony and was strolling down the streets like nothing was wrong.

Amu waited awhile before leaving to go pick up and play her violin. She did take his advice, clearly ignoring the songs he had given her to practice with. The music seemed to flow slightly better, and t sounded a whole lot nice to her, still not great, but better, at least no one was dying.

* * *

A month pasted and Amu continued to learn, despite the fact that her teacher and friend weren't on such great terms with one another. Tadase called her once a week, instead of when they had a meeting she missed. Ikuto seemed slightly uneasy, like someone was going to burst through the door and glomp him. Turns out Tadase had told his sister where Ikuto was, but she didn't want him to go off the charts again so she didn't visit.

Of course she heard that from Yoru when Ikuto had been running late from a staff meeting. She somehow managed to run into him on the streets, and seemed to understand his need for space. She was calling less, and Ikuto answered her calls every so often, most like to stop her from worrying too much like she always did. She had a career she needs to take care of that before worrying about her runaway brother.

It was late November and snow was falling, possibly earlier then normal but it was hard to really tell. Amu was just happy it was snowing. In fact her whole class was happy, crowding outside and by the windows, just to watch it fall. Ikuto wasn't all for the snow it seemed, but he dealt with it just like anyone else would.

"Ah, it's snowing again!" Amu said when her lesson was done; she was standing by the window, looking at the little white lights fall about. Ikuto made a simple, 'hm?' as he turned to look. Amu giggled happily, before turning to him, to find him slightly different from before.

He still appeared the same, blue hair, cat ears perched on the top of his head, tail dancing about behind him. His hands in the pockets of his long blackish-blue pants, and his long sleeve shirt like his pants. His face was different, however. It was soft, caring, happy almost to see someone smiling about. His eyes didn't hold the smirk, or hidden smugness, or tease. They were warm, burning almost with a loving fire, just watching her. He turned away, hiding his smile from her, as he reached for his hat to cover his ears.

"You should probably head home." He suggest, and she nodded, still slightly confused from the look, but she left anyway.

* * *

_Please RXR_


	6. Trouble around the corner

_-finishes reading new chapter of Shugo Chara!- Holy Moley, it was awesome. There was a great Amuto line in there, maybe I'll use it later or something. Any way, I hope you like this one and stuff.  
_

_I disown everything but the storyline_

* * *

"Ikuto, they're getting closer." Yoru said warily as both he and Ikuto hid in the depths of their home. They were hiding from the searching lights that came through the windows, both broken and dirty. He cursed; he couldn't stay here much longer.

"I know, I know." Ikuto said hurriedly. "We don't have much time. Hopefully we can go unnoticed long enough to disappear off their charts." He waited before darting and grabbing his things. He left super early for work that day.

* * *

It was snowing, like it had for more then the past month, and the student body were happier then ever. Not only because it was snowing, but mainly because winter break was only days away. Amu and her friends were more then happy to finally have off, she could finally attend some meetings without Ikuto being able to get in the way and tell her no. He was just keeping her after school, so breaks meant she would be free.

School was breezing by much to the speed as the wind outside. Amu was happy for that, it meant winter break was nearing so and sooner with each passing minute. However she noticed Ikuto was greatly uneasy that day in music. Others noticed too, and has sloppy he was being with his expressions; he was great at keeping his secret. So many times had he been spooked, just over little things and he was constantly looking out the window.

Rumors started to form to explain his great uneasiness. He something happened in his past and it was finally scaring him. He killed someone one accident, something happened in his family. The list was endless; it was hard for Amu to grasp the spooked Ikuto and all his being. She would get to figuring it out after school; maybe let her tease her a bit.

She never got a chance too really. He was there when she entered, to busy staring out the window to actually notice someone had entered the room. Yoru was floating by him, he noticed and floated over, but other then that said nothing. Ikuto's tail wasn't moving about like it usually was when he was watching something from his room or where ever he stood. No it was lying limp and died, no emotion filled it. His ears were pulled back slightly, not standing straight, or perched, not even leaning lazily. Whatever he was watching it was draining his usual display of emotion.

"Ikuto…what's wrong?" Amu asked, placing her things on a near by desk. Ikuto didn't move, and she strolled over, following his glace to a black van. She glanced back at him; eyes were wide and shaking slightly. They were over flowing with something she never thought she would see in them. Fear. Dead fear.

"They found out." He whispered.

"Who?"

"My step-father." He turned to her, and more fear came forward. "You have to leave, or just not be here, with me." He said quickly grabbing her shoulders. "You have to have a club or something."

"There is a guardian meeting today…"Amu started, surprised he was asking.

"Go!" He snapped at her, spinning her around and shoving her towards her stuff. "If anyone asked that's where you were headed, you never saw me. In fact you don't even know I exist."

"Ikuto…what's going on?" Amu asked, turning around, her hand on her bag, but she wasn't going to go without an answer.

Ikuto sighed, "My step-father, powerful man that he is, has a few problems with me. He knows what my father's violin did, and he thinks he can use that to his advantage. He wants to 'study' and 'understand' me." Ikuto spat bitterly. "In reality he just wants to control, lock me away and use me for his personal gain. Now, just get out of her before you're caught up in this mess."

Amu nodded slowly before completely collecting her things and moving out and down the hall quickly. She didn't see where Ikuto went, or much less what he did, she just did want he told her. To go to her meeting without a word about him, nothing happened. Whatever stupid move he would, and could possibly do, he was keeping her out and protecting her from the mess he was in. For that Amu was grateful.

* * *

The Guardians had been happy to see Amu again. They had some thing of a quick welcome back party, but Amu's mind was too busy for anything. She left early, saying she forgot she had something to do at home, and left. They didn't complain, most likely noticing that she was spacing out. When she left the black van was gone for the most part, it drove her mind crazy.

She didn't remember much of the walk home, or doing her homework, or eating dinner. The only thing she did remember was lying in bed just wondering what happened. Did he get away? Did he get caught? Was he hurt? Was he killed? Did he fight? Did someone help him? So many things she wanted to know.

A knock on her door, made her shoot up straight, it wasn't her bedroom door that someone knocked on. She jumped out of bed and grabbed a coat, before shoving the drapes out of the way to reveal Ikuto standing there. He was smiling warmly, happy to see she was fine and ok, having no clue what that meant to her. She slammed the door open, welcoming the cold air from outside.

"You're ok!" She said happily

"For the mean time, yes." Ikuto said gently, looking at her with the eyes when he was watching her. "I don't know how long I lost them for, but it was a while back and I went the back way to everything. However I'll try to make this quick."

"Make what quick?" Amu asked, watching him.

His eyes moved away from her. "I don't know how long it will take to get them off my trail…so…" He was nervous, something she could never picture him being.

"You probably disappear for a while?" Amu asked, looking at him, he still wasn't looking at her, but his tail and ears were moving around, mostly in thought.

Before he had time to react his lips found her, sealing them from any sound she could. His eyes were closed, and his lips were just there, holding hers, getting out whatever he need. His arms found her back, and one hand snaked up to hold her head. Amu didn't realize, but she wanted it, all that time it was hidden from even her, and she let it flow out. Her eyes slide closed, and her arms found his neck, drawing him closer, moving her lips against his. They didn't remember when their tongues suddenly got involved, and hands knotted in each others hair, but they did.

Lungs demanded oxygen sooner they would have liked, and it forced them to pull away and breathe. Ikuto hugged Amu tightly, not wanting to let go, but in reality he knew his time was ticking away. He let her go, before jumping down to her fence and racing off without another word, just one final hesitant look, before reality shoved him on.

Amu stood there a while after he left, just stood there, remembering the feeling of everything about him. She could still feel him there, so present, so comforting, so warm. But just like reality had shoved him, it shoved her. She went back inside, and closed her drapes and took of her coat. She sighed and toppled onto the bed, in complete bliss.

* * *

"Amu-chan!" Rima said waving her hand in front of Amu's face. Amu was in a fog most of the day, and her friends at lunch, were finally trying to figure out what was wrong with her.

"Yes, Rima-chan." Amu said shaking herself from her fog.

"What's with you?" Yaya asked. "You've seemed to be in a fog the whole day. What's wrong?"

"It's nothing you need to worry about." Amu said looking down at her food. "There just a lot of things on my mind."

"Oi, did you girls hear, Tsukiyomi-sensi isn't here." A boy from their class announced, Amu looked away more, blushing at the name, the night before so vivid, so there, his lips and her's.

"He could have gotten sick." Another girl across the room pointed out. The two seemed to have an argument over what could have possibly happened to the music teacher, only Amu really knew.

"There's a first time for everything." Rima said plainly, turning back to her meal. Yaya followed her example; Amu just wasn't hungry any more. All she could think about was Ikuto, what could he possibly be doing now. Was he running, hiding, fighting, dying? She wanted to know, and she wanted to hold him again. To feel him, smell him; taste him, anything just so she could know he was ok.

The rest of the day was horrible; everyone continued to make up possible reasons for why Ikuto left. Amu wanted to yell at them to shut up. She wanted to tell them the truth, tell them some were close with their guess. His past was catching up with him; he was hiding from someone, and everything. However she didn't, she let the rumors spread, no matter how much it hurt her, or placed her in a fog.

"Hinamori-san?" Tadase's voice, shook her from her fog of thoughts. "Watch where you're going, you almost fell down the stairs." Amu looked to find she really almost had.

"Sorry, I have a lot on my mind." She said, straightening up.

"Care to talk about it?"

"I have….no I don't….maybe some other…yes." Amu finally agreed, maybe she just needed to talk with someone. It's not like she could tell her parents that the teacher who teacher her how to play made out with her the other night on her balcony. She couldn't tell Tadase either, but she could talking to him about things she wouldn't tell her parents, or she hoped she could.

Tadase smiled and lead her out into the snow and to the old campus planetarium. They took some seats, but Amu didn't look up, she looked down on the floor, avoiding eye contact with anything. As old as the planetarium was it was well kept and in perfect shape it seemed. Tadase was obviously waiting for her to start talking before anything else.

"When…Ikuto left…how did you feel?" Amu asked, looking down at her shoes, knowing Tadase was looking at her with question.

"I was mad at first; things become a lot harder on Utau-chan. Time went on though, and I grew up, and I realized Ikuto left for a reason, when he was gone things got better, peopled didn't look down on them that much any more. They were just like everyone else, and even though I hate him, I think he made the right choice." Tadase said quietly, watching Amu as she still started at her feet. "Why?"

"I just wanted to know, because my mind on a bunch of things, that just happened to be one." Amu half lied. "I was there when Ikuto had to leave, and I can't stop thinking about it." Again another half lie, Amu didn't know 'Oh, and I can't stop thinking about the way we made out on mu balcony last night,' into simpler terms.

"So you say the reason?"

"Yeah…I did."

"What exactly was it?" Tadase turned to her, and Amu looked up. "His sister would probably want to know if she finds out."

"Some people in a black van." Amu said, only telling the truth half way. "That's all I know, he made me leave and go to the meeting." Tadase looked at her shocked, like Ikuto would never do a thing like that to anyone. "Thanks for listening to my rambling, I think I'm going to go home and clear up my mind there."

"It's no problem really." Tadase said smiling and not complaining about her leaving.

* * *

"Ikuto, it's cold, you're cold!" Yoru complained worriedly. "You can't go much longer without something to eat or rest."

"We can't rest though, Yoru!" Ikuto snapped, feeling like nothing more then crap. The wind whipped slightly, and Ikuto hoped they would stumble across something warm. "We can't stop at all; it's only a matter of time before they find us again."

"Just a few minutes, you need to catch your breath." Yoru compromised and Ikuto had not choice but to agree. Stumbling and staggering, Ikuto sat down against the wall, panting, feeling how weak, tired, and hungry he was. The cold was getting to him as well; he could probably take a nap, just for a little while. "Ikuto!" Yoru snapped, he looked at him from behind his bangs.

"Just for a little while longer, please." Ikuto begged, stubbornness was long gone.

"No, not a little while long." Yoru snapped, trying to pull him back up to his feet. "When we find somewhere warm you can rest for a little while."

"But I want to stay here." Ikuto complained.

"We can't!" Yoru snapped. "Come on; let's try to get to Amu-chan's house."

Ikuto looked up not wanting to get up, but he did anyway, staggering and using the walls for support he walked about the back alleys.

* * *

_Please RXR_


	7. Cat and snow, bad Cat and Amu, good?

_It's obvious people really like the last chapter, I wonder why, -smirk-. Any way, I know the ending was like the anime and manga but that's because I had to have Ikuto get sick, how can you not have a perverted cat man not stay at Amu's house. Any way there is some twist and I hope you don't get mad, just remember this is an AU._

_I disown everything but the storyline  
_

* * *

Amu was walking home from school, just like any other day, however she was happy, mainly because winter break started tomorrow. Ikuto still poisoned her mind, she wanted to know what happened to him. She touched her lips, remembering how good everything felt, how even feeling she didn't know she had come out and gave back. It was something she thought about all the time now, and she would blush at the sound of Ikuto's name or anything relating to him.

"_They found out." He whispered._

She remembered his fear so well, how he managed to keep it so well kept, and hidden, so that only his eyes told it. She remembered the black van that had made him like that. Amu wanted to know what they would do to him if they caught him, or even if they found about her, much less their relationship with each other.

Would she become some tool, some way to keep Ikuto from rebelling? Was that why he demanded she act like she didn't know him, or was it the feeling he had harbored for her? The worse they would really do if they caught her leaving the room was tell her to beat it. However Ikuto made it seem like they could do something far worse then that if she didn't go and do what he told her too do. Now she was stuck worrying about him.

"Ikuto!" Yoru's voice knocked Amu from her thinking and possible fog. She turned to the source, finding it was coming from an alley slightly ahead of her. She raced for it, and her eyes widened at the sight. Yoru was floating from place to place, panicking about, while Ikuto was just lying there. "Come on, wake up, we're almost there!"

"Yoru-kun, what's wrong?" Amu asked and Yoru jumped, turning to face her, he looked relieved at the sight of her.

"I don't know, Ikuto and me were trying to stay out of sight and not get caught. Ikuto's not well though, its too cold for him, and…AAHHH! Ikuto, wake up!" Yoru said pulling at the hood of his jacket. "Now he won't get up or move."

Amu blinked, before reaching to feel his skin, it was cold, but not cold like he was dead, just wind blown and touched by the cold. His hair seemed damp, but he had been outside in the snow and such. He just seemed to be out cold, literally, but nothing other then that, or not that she could tell. "My house isn't to far from here, I'll go get someone to help."

"Ah! Don't leave me Amu-chan!" Yoru said floating so he blocked her way, or was in her face at least. "What if something happens?!"

Amu bit her lip, at looked around her. "All right I'll stay, but you have to hide, and make sure no one sees his cat ears and tail." Amu snapped, searching for her phone in her school bag. She found it after a while and ran out of the ally way, calling her home, hoping someone would be home.

"Amu-chan…do you have a meeting today?" Her mother asked.

"Ah…no…but I need your help." Amu said warily, when he mother didn't reply right away she continued. "You know the new music teacher, Tsukiyomi-sensi?"

"Yes…" Amu could picture her mothers question face from her voice, she was fearing the worse.

"He's not well, and in some…trouble…you wouldn't mind coming over here and helping me carry him back to the house." Her mother sighed.

"Why don't you call the hospital, or something?"

"I can't…he wouldn't like that…" Amu said, trying to make it seem like that wasn't an option. "I think he just need someplace to rest, and eat…or something."

"Amu-chan, that's what hospitals are for."

"He can't go there mama, there are people after him, he needs to hide! Please, just this once!" Amu begged, not realizing how despite she was until she realized she was crying. "I know Papa's away on a business trip, or more like on one with Ami, but please!"

"Relax Amu-chan…I'll come." Amu smiled, telling her mother where she was, before hanging up and rushing back to Ikuto and Yoru. Yoru smiled up at her, before hiding in Ikuto's jacket, now they just had to wait for help to come.

* * *

"Put him in the guest room. Amu will show you." Amu's mother said and Amu nodded, leading one of her mother's friends husbands up the stairs. To their luck they were visiting Amu's mother, like friends should when Amu called. The husband was a tall, built man, Ikuto seemed like a light backpack to him. His wife was a nurse, who quickly got to work when Ikuto was placed on the bed. Amu seemed to be a big help.

"Cover him up, he needs to get warm." The wife snapped in a concerned toned and Amu did as told. "Now, keep him warm and call me if anything changes, he seems healthy enough to take some cold." The wife smiled before leaving, leaving with a comment on how cat like Ikuto seemed. He had curled up to the warmth of the covers, and though the wife didn't hear it, Amu did. He was purring to it, it wasn't to loud or obviously there, but it was the sound of purring.

Amu smiled and busied herself about the room. She discovered a space heater, and plugged that in soon after. She closed the door, doing the best to keep it all in there for the time being. She hopped down the stairs, thanking he mother's friends, and in turned decided to make dinner for them. They didn't complain, and happily at what she made, even though it wasn't the best it could be, but it was still pretty good.

Amu thanked them one last time before they left and she ran up stairs to see how Ikuto was doing. He hadn't moved much, maybe curled up some more into the warmth. She turned the heater off, and picked up Ikuto's shoes and jacket off the floor. She moved them to the desk, hanging the thick coat to dry. She moved his violin and bag close to the desk too, before once again leaving to go do whatever else she needed.

* * *

Ikuto stirred slight, Yoru was happy he was moving around more, he had tossed and turned at little bit before, but it finally seemed like he was coming too. He had warmed up, only to develop a fever, and all the sleep wasn't helping his hungry stomach. Amu checked in every hour on the hour, some times she found a reason to stay there. It didn't seem to matter if she actually did what she said, or just sat there and worried along with Yoru.

Amu came with food sometimes, and Yoru was always so happy to eat it. Her mother had errands to run and Amu was put in charge of the house. She was currently downstairs, Yoru didn't really know what she was doing, hopefully making something warm. She had placed Yoru in charge of watching Ikuto, if anything happened Yoru was suppose to go get her.

Ikuto's eyes fluttered open, he blinked at the light, it was midday and there was some sun working its way into the room. He slowly sat up, rather lazily, rubbing one of his eyes, trying to figure out where in the world he was. He wasn't half awake it seemed, judging by his observation skills at the time. He knew it wasn't his room, or the one he had been staying it to save money. Yoru flatly played along, agreeing with him that it wasn't the same place.

"Where are we?" Ikuto asked yawning.

"Amu-chan's house." Yoru informed, hoping she would come to check up on him.

"Amu…?" He questioned, and Yoru nodded.

"Come on, we should go show her you're ok." Yoru chanted pulling at Ikuto's shirt collar. He got out of the bed, not help from Yoru, leaving the warmth behind him and walking to the door, sleep still holding him slightly. He opened the door and was greeted by the sent of tea, but he couldn't say what kind it actually was.

He found the stairs and gently walked down them, hearing the hustle and bustle at the bottom of them. He didn't realize it but he still had his hat on from before on, so if it wasn't Amu working he would be ok. Of course his tail was swishing about tiredly, but he was too curious about what was going on in the kitchen to worry about that. He rounded the corner to the kitchen to find that it was Amu working about the kitchen, though he really couldn't say what she was doing.

"It smells like tea." Ikuto observed, still sleepy it seemed.

"Ikuto!" Amu said turning to him happily. "You woke up…!" He came to rest his head on her shoulder, not doing anything else but resting it there. "Ikuto?"

"Hm?" He asked not moving.

"What are you doing?" Amu asked shocked.

"You're warm." He said, as his arms weakly drew around her and held her closer. "I just want to be close to you."

"But, my mom…"Amu said looking towards the door like someone was going to come in the door right that moment. However Ikuto didn't budge, he happily stayed like that, and Amu wasn't complaining, she was happy to feel him being warm again. As peaceful as the moment was, Ikuto's stomach ruined it, he groaned slightly at the sound. "You're hungry." Amu giggled.

"I hadn't noticed." Ikuto said flatly, and let her go.

Amu giggled and searched from something for him to eat. He seemed to eat everything that he was given. Sleep had left him and he was more awake as time went one. Amu's mother came home shortly after he had started eating the second plate Amu gave him. She greeted him warmly, and Ikuto was happy he was wearing his hat, glad he could relax in peace here.

"It's good to see you're better." Amu's mother greeted him happily, he looked at her surprised, quickly hiding it.

"Ah…yeah." Ikuto said quickly. "Thank you for the hospitality, but I don't think I should stay too long."

"But you're in ill health." Amu's mother snapped. "At least stay until you better." Again Ikuto was shocked. "What?" Amu's mother chuckled.

"Ah, its nothing." Ikuto said quickly, looking away.

"You're Tsukiyomi-sensi, correct?"

"…Yes…" Ikuto said, looking back at her.

"We've heard a lot about you."

"Really?" Ikuto said giving Amu a look, her mother obviously didn't catch it. However it was a smug one, one where Amu could picture the ears and tail. Amu's mother and Ikuto talked for a while before Ikuto disappeared back to the guest room.

* * *

"What exactly did you tell family about me?" Ikuto asked when Amu walked past his room. "I hope its not about my secret."

"No, I didn't tell them that!" Amu said quickly. "Just the fact that your teaching me how to play the violin."

"Really?"

"Really!" Amu said growing annoyed.

"I see, you're mother didn't seem to know anything about the whole tail and ears."

"Then why were you asking." Amu growled.

Ikuto shrugged from his place on the bed and Amu stormed in, closing the door behind her. Ikuto smirked, but Amu was too annoyed to notice it. She stormed over to the bed, before Ikuto grabbed her wrist and pulled her on to the bed with him. He hugged her tightly, not letting go. She blushed, trying hard to get lose, but it seemed like though her mind was mad at him, her body and soul really didn't want to leave his side.

He kissed her temple gently, before letting her go. "You're mother's still present in the house, if I'm correct." Ikuto said quietly, he sighed and rolled over. "No fun for me, I guess." He closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep, but he knew Amu was watching him closely.

"Prev!" She hissed.

"Says you." Ikuto said cooly, feeling her jump of the bed he smirked.

"I thought you were asleep." Amu snapped.

"I can't fall asleep with you staring at me like that."

"Fine, I'll leave." Amu said turning on her heels and leaving. Ikuto stopped her by grabbing her wrist and pulling him closer.

"I don't want you to." He whispered. "But you should, the less contact you have with me the better, but I can't stay away, and you can't either." His grip loosened. "Amu, if you got caught up in this mess I'm in…I don't know what I would do." He let go, and she turned to him, but he wasn't looking at her. "I don't know what my step-father would do if he found out I…felt…for someone, much less had a relationship."

"Is that why you don't want me getting involved?" Amu asked gently.

"He already has my family, he doesn't need anyone else to control, or use to get control."

"You don't seem too worried about your family."

"He knows I left them, just like my father, he also knows the reason I left, for them. I care for them, but I know he wouldn't do anything rash, my mother seems to like the distance I put between the family and me."

"You're more worried about outsiders getting involved?"

"Who wouldn't? I have a secret, and I want to keep it. I want to be normal, I want to be looked at like a normal person." Ikuto said lying back onto the bed. "As different as I maybe, the few people that know what I am, what I have and can do, seem to look at me that way. I don't want the people who know and aren't blood to stay out."

"Do you really feel that way?"

"Yeah…yeah, I do." Ikuto said rolling over and Amu got the clue and left without another word, just wordless thoughts.

* * *

_Please RXR. Also because I put a secret make out, Ikuto doesn't stay at Amu's house in secret XD_


	8. When teasing isn't teasing anymore

_Whoa, I finished writing the whole story, yeahs! Anyway four more chapters after this one ;D. Also there is some slight lemon, but I didn't write about it, it's kinda skipped, but you should get the idea -coughcoughcough-. I still think I'm good on the rating though. AMUTO FTW XD._

_I disown everything but the storyline  
_

* * *

"He's like a cat, no Amu-chan." Her mother giggled, checking in on Ikuto with Amu. He had once again slept most of the day away. Course it was expected, he had formed quiet a cold, and rest was the best thing for him. However his long sleepy days were very cat like, Yoru joined in on the 'cat naps' as well. He usually turned in early, however there were some night, sleepless one that made him have the urge to play his violin, that usually put Amu to sleep, no matter what she was doing.

Her mother complement him endlessly the next day after he played, he of course, brushed them off like it was nothing. He still had enough energy to tease, flirt, and play, so he was still himself, there was no real change. Amu's father had checked in with him, or course Amu's mother told him of the events of the past week, it ended up being an interesting phone call, and calls came daily almost.

"Yeah…I suppose he is." Amu said watching him with a small grin.

"Ah, Amu-chan, I have to go interview someone for my magazine, however the trip there is far, so I have to stay overnight. I should be back, midday tomorrow." Her mother said before bidding good bye and leaving like that.

"You would think a mother would worry something would happen between the male and the female." Ikuto's voice rang, and Amu turned to find him leaning on the stairs. His tail was twitching in that playful manner, and his ears were semi sideways.

"She trusts me, seeing as how nothings happened before when she was gone." Amu snapped turning to him. "Where's Yoru?"

"Kitchen." Ikuto said pointing to the Kitchen. "Wasn't I sleeping most of the time she was gone. Of all people you think she would understand how men can be sometimes."

"What do you mean?"

Ikuto drew close to her; she could feel his breath, smell just about everything about him. He smirked, watching her blush, he had her cornered and she didn't even seem to notice. "You're here, existing, am I right?"

"Ikuto!" She yelled backing away, finding she couldn't go far. He cupped her chin, kissing her lips softly; he left her with just that, heading to the kitchen to get something to eat.

* * *

He knew she was thinking, she was moving and acting like she did when she was thinking deeply about something. In the time he had been there had had watched how she lived. It was in a perverted way, more like he was just getting to know her better, besides he had little to do in this house. It didn't matter if he was sick or something, he could still move around or watched her was she fussed about where ever he was at that time.

Yoru was happily moving about the kitchen, having eating what he wanted of the nutritional stuff, he had moved on to the sweets. Ikuto however wasn't hungry much, he never remembered being this full when he was alone, he remembered being empty, not full. Amu's mother complained he ate too little, but the truth was the little amount of food he did eat had made for a small stomach. Yoru however seemed to be a bottomless pit.

However he knew Amu was thinking, she wasn't really paying much attention to what she was doing. It was defiantly something he had caused her to do. Course he had teased her in a way that would make her think. Then again his tease wasn't so much teasing the more he thought about it, they had kissed…very much like the French…on her balcony…completely alone…no doubt she kept that to herself. He had only done it to make his feeling known to her and nothing else, a possible last goodbye sort of thing.

Course she had feelings that seemed even hidden to her, and they came out in a way the stupidly was putting her in danger. He knew it would be best if he left, less of a mess for her in his mind, but he was staying because not only did she insisted and fuss about his health, but he didn't want to leave. Like he would be painfully wounded if he did. Did he fear how she would take it? What she would think? That she would follow and get caught up? He didn't know the exact reason; it was something he wasn't use to feeling.

"Why do you do that?" Amu's voice shook him from his mind. She was in the door way of the kitchen; there was one thing he was glad he was able to do. Think and do a task at the same time, and no one would notice.

"Do what…exactly?" He asked, a wave of movement when through his tail.

"Act normal then change." Amu said like it was something he should really know.

"Change?"

"Perverted." She said flatly.

"I never really noticed." Ikuto admitted, then again he didn't talk to people all that much, and when he did it wasn't like it was a full on conversation or something. The last people he actually ever held a conversation with were his high school classmate. "I don't talk to people much."

"You talk to the class, and some teachers, I've seen you."

"It's not really a conversation. Besides it not like we talk about the kind of things that could lead to that." Ikuto said shrugging.

"But you do it all the time with me!"

"Because your fun to tease. Plus your mind goes there on it own I just talk."

She groaned in frustration, obviously not getting what she wanted out of him. He smiled, she was cute when she was like that, he learned that from teaching her the violin. She glared at him and he couldn't help but laugh at her, it was pretty funny in his mind. Amu growled and raced over to him to angry for words to actually form in her mouth, even cuter.

Ikuto was teasing before, but he wasn't now, despite the fact that half of him wanted to be, the other half was pushing harder to continue. In one swift action he had her back against the wall, pushing her up against it harder. His mouth sealed her complaint away, and she didn't have much room to really fight back. However she did quiet the opposite of what he thought she would do, he laughed at the irony in his head. She could be a rather good tease as well, in her own way without actually realizing what she was doing.

They pulled away to breathe, it didn't exactly stop Ikuto from attacking her neck. She didn't seem to complain to that, still trying to catch her own breath more then anything.

"Ikuto…?" She breathed and he stopped, mostly to answer, however he didn't remember becoming his tangled up with her. She was against the wall, that much he knew, but she wasn't touching the ground, he was holding her, mostly, however she had one leg working it way around his waist, the other was semi following in suit. She hands were tangled in his hair, his hands weren't far from same, one in her hair, the other in her clothes, his tail was wrapped around one leg.

"Yes…?" He breathed as well.

"We…can't..."

"…I know…"

"Then…why?"

"I don't…know."

"What do…you know?"

"That it's…wrong…and I don't care…much."

"We can't…"

"I know."

"No…we can't…here."

He looked up at her with question. "You call me the pervert." He teased, ears twitching, Amu blushed, he chuckled. "Fine then where?"

"Any where, just not here." She had a point, and he wasn't going to complain about anything.

* * *

Amu stirred, shaking the weak hold sleep had on her at the time. She yawned, stretching, only to whip around to the sound of purring. Ikuto was there, sound asleep, purring, he looked so peaceful, like he couldn't hurt a fly. She wanted to yell at him, most likely wake him up and in turn give her a crappy morning. The night before came back to her and her eyes widened, as well as a blushed took her cheeks normal color.

She remembered the feeling, something she really couldn't put into words. Bliss, pleasure, lust, love, maybe everything, she didn't really know. There was one thing she knew for sure, both would be in trouble if anyone ever found out about anything that happened. Ikuto would more then likely get the worst end of it, she would just be scolded, something she could ignore and move unmarked, Ikuto would be a rather different story.

If his step father found out, she had a feeling something bad would happen to both. He would have something to threatened, something that he could threaten and more then likely actually go through with it. Amu would be something used to keep Ikuto in check. Such a simple act could possibly end horribly for them; she wasn't willing to really find out what.

"Ikuto!" She snapped, shaking him, now she wanted him to wake up. It took him a while but he did.

"What?" He asked still sleepy.

"What have we done?!"

"You don't…know?"

"I know THAT part! I mean we're screwed if someone finds out." That he seemed to understand, Amu knew that from how wide his eyes got.

"No one's going to find out." He assured, sitting up and looking at her, nimble and built he was. "I'll make sure of that. Now what time did your mother say she would be home?"

"Midday." She said looking over at the clock, they still had time. "We still have time."

"We should still get ready, start acting like nothing happened between us." Ikuto said

Amu nodded and without another word starting doing what he suggested.

* * *

The rest of the day was awkward for both, while Ikuto may have been able to act like nothing was wrong he was edgy. Amu was jumpy, trying to make as little contact with Ikuto as she could; both agreed it was best if he left. They convinced Amu's mother Ikuto was fine and health, which he was. She agreed not seeing their need for separation for a while, they were happy about that, just sad the other won't be there at their side.

Amu's mother sent Ikuto off with a rather large pack of food, enough to last him a day, or so she thought, she never meet Yoru. Ikuto thanked them for the hospitality and went about his way, like nothing was wrong. School started up not to long after he left, and that was even more awkward then anything else, in fact he told her to come in on days she didn't have a meeting, the Guardians were happy about that.

* * *

_I know there was some hinting to a lemon, -blush-, but I didn't write anything so I'm good, I think. XD Please RXR_


	9. A Step Father's knocking

_Yes, they did -blush-...you know...yeah. But I didn't write about it, still sorry for the shock some people had. -nervous laugh- Any way, on with the events!_

_I disown everything but the storyline _

* * *

"So Tsukiyomi-sensi said you were almost done with your lessons?" Yaya asked after a Guardians meeting. Amu nodded slightly, though that was true there was another reason and she didn't feel like talking about it with them. "You should play for us sometime."

"Maybe…" Amu said looking at the ground; she had really only played when no one was around or if it was just Ikuto.

"You'd do fine Hinamori-san." Tadase encouraged with a smile, Amu was glad she was looking at the floor for once.

"But I've never played in front of people." Amu said fiddling with the ends of her uniform.

"You don't have to look at people; you could look at just the music." Rima suggested. "Or close your eyes, maybe think that you're alone."

"Ah, I forgot the music for class!" Amu came to realize. She had a feeling going to the music room and asking Ikuto for the music would be more awkward then it should have been. She bit her lip, she could always wait until tomorrow, he would probably excuse her for forgetting it, that would be of course after some teasing, like he did with everyone.

"You should get it Amu-chan!" Yaya said shoving her friend forward slightly. "I heard it's hard, you need to practice tonight."

"But, Tsukiyomi-sensi probably went home already." Amu defended.

"I'll go with you Hinamori-san." Tadase said, leading the way. "If any one asks we'll just tell them where going to go get something you forgot. Besides there's not that many teachers her anyway."

Amu sighed, not wanting to go but her feet decided they should go. She followed Tadase up to the music room, making small talk really. Ikuto had been in a conversation between them for a while and Amu was happy about that. It didn't make her think about what had happened between the two. Not only could tell someone get them in trouble but it's not something she thought much less could explain to someone else.

They reached the music room door, and Tadase didn't hesitate to shove it open. They had been oblivious to the talking that was coming from the inside. It was dead quiet when they actually looked in the door. The room was filled with it's usually condense; include Ikuto, plus about six men in suits. Ikuto seemed to have been sitting cooling in a chair, however his eyes were wide and he had hidden look of fear like before. The six men in suits all turned to the sound of the door opening, staring down Amu and Tadase.

"Who are they?" The one closest to Ikuto growled, Ikuto's eyes narrowed at him.

"Students." Ikuto snapped like it was obvious which it really was. He stood up from his seat, placing his hands in his pockets. "Who have no business with anything you came here to talk about."

"What's going on?" Tadase demanded, he was glaring at Ikuto.

"Nothing that would concern you. Now it would be best if you two ran off." Ikuto said flatly, but his eyes were doing the pleading, Amu could tell.

"Tadase-kun, maybe we should do what Tsukiyomi-sensi says. I can always get the music tomorrow." Amu said tugging at Tadase arm; he didn't budge much to Amu and Ikuto's dismay.

"What's going on Tsukiyomi Ikuto?" Tadase demanded, with the wrong choice of words too.

"They seem to know your name." The man who talked before growled, turning to Ikuto sharply. "I have a feeling their more then just your students, Ikuto."

"The blonde's family took Utau and me in when we were kids like eleven or twelve years ago!" Ikuto snapped eyes narrowing. "Other then that they're not involved in anything."

The man who talked before turned and nodded to the men, who in turned grabbed Amu and Tadase by the arm. Both struggled and demanded to let go, Ikuto was doing the same, the man chuckled slightly. He bent down and picked up Ikuto's violin, Ikuto's eyes only narrowed more, he looked like he was going to attack but froze, letting out a small grunt, but held his ground.

"You've gotten soft." The man laughed. "Soft and stupid, if you ask me. Tell me Ikuto, do they know."

"Know what?" Ikuto growled.

"You know every well what!" The man snapped. Ikuto's eyes narrowed, but no answer left his lips, he just held his ground. "Answer the question!" Still no answer, the man growled and turned to the man who was holding Amu.

"One does!" Ikuto snapped, blocking the man's view of Amu. "And there is no way, not even in hell that I'll tell you who."

"Ikuto…?" Amu whispered, Tadase was watching him shocked.

The man laughed, booming and loud, like he won something and was rubbing it in. "Fine then…they both come with us." The man boomed. "It's only a matter of time before we figure out which one knows, and which one can be used to control you."

Ikuto growled, both knowing he was in not position to move or attack and the fact that he was taking two people down with him. Amu watched him as for men shoved her and Tadase out of the room and down the hall. Eventually they ended up in front of some van and both were shoved roughly into it. Silence consumed them, and they just waited for the van to start so they could leave.

* * *

They threw him in the back seat of the car, as well as Yoru and his father's violin. Both landed on top of him giving him little time to sit up and prepare, so he could organize the back seat. They slammed the door shut and he cursed, scrabbling to make the back seat organized to seat up in. The car shifted as two people go in the front seat, he couldn't see who, he cursed and the tinted glass between them.

He let his ears come out and his tail moved about. He knew there was no way out now; if he tried something they would still have Tadase and…Amu. He quenched his fists at the very thought that his step father had her. Tadase had opened his mouth and said the wrong things, of course he reacted defensibly. They just had to play him to figure out he knew both of them.

He was cursing his head off, cursing everything he could possibly think of that had gotten him into this mess. He wondered if things had been different if he went back when his sister asked him too. Maybe Amu wouldn't be in this mess, along with Tadase. But then again maybe he would be some test subject or something useful to his step father, and he wouldn't have even known Amu existed. He should have stopped when he knew they were getting to close, he should have just left town; he shouldn't have taken that job.

Yoru was watching with worried eyes. Knowing all too well the burdens and pain Ikuto carried, Yoru knew this was doing little to help him. His shoulders were already weighted down by the fact that he was a disgrace to the family, some sort of freak. He didn't need the fact that he could possibly cause two other people to suffer because he was being a stubborn unlucky black cat. Yoru could feel the turmoil in him, spinning out of control and mixing up his thoughts.

"Ikuto?" Yoru asked.

"I'll never forgive him!" Ikuto snapped.

That made Yoru quiet, it was the tone in which it was said that made him. It was the one Ikuto used when he really didn't want to talk. Quick and sharp, very to the point, he didn't want to talk about anything, manly because he was afraid, deadly afraid. He was looking out the tinted back window, watching the van behind them; he knew they were in there that's why he was watching it so closely. Yoru glanced between the two, he knew Ikuto was questioning action, just enough so they could slip away. However Yoru had other plans and Ikuto wouldn't notice him leaving, he would get help from the outside, he just didn't know who.

* * *

Ikuto forgot how much his office was like a throne. The huge chair and the huge deck, it wasn't the best and it wasn't the highest, but it was a mini throne. Ikuto watched him through narrowed eyes, knowing all to well who and what was behind him. His step father smiled darkly. Ikuto became slight uncomfortable being in the middle of the room, as dimly light as it was, it still was more then enough for what he need to see.

"I always though I would catch you in some alley way or back street. Never a school or a place where people work." His step father informed, holding the all business act.

"This isn't some business deal for Easter." Ikuto said flatly. "You of all people should know you can't sell me into any of your ideas."

"It doesn't matter I have you and some people to help keep you in check." He said dropping the act sounding more like a father then anything. "Try anything and I'm sure you'd regret it."

"Let them go." He snapped bitterly, a laugh was his only answer. A shock raced through his body, almost making him lose his footing. He stumbled into a man who had a rather firm grip on him, just before his world went black with another painful shock. He didn't catch what his step father said or anything else for that matter.

* * *

They were all blinking at him, never before had he been so afraid of four pairs of eyes looking at him before. Then again four pairs of eyes was the largest number of eyes he had look at him, or at least like that. It didn't help that they were blink and watching him closely either, he was uneasy at it was, knowing he would be hated for doing so. It was a stupid choice, choosing them, what could they possibly do to help him, besides blink and wonder.

"What is that?" One whispered to another, who merely shrugged.

"It's cute." Another one whispered, he was there and he could hear them he wasn't deaf, half cat but not deaf.

"Yeah, but what is it?" The first asked again.

"I'm a he not an it-nya~." He snapped waving his arms in the air, they held their breath.

"It talked!" They all whispered quickly.

"Yeah, yeah I know-nya." He snapped. "Look I need your help; Tadase-kun, Amu-chan and Ikuto are in trouble!" He was waving his arms in panic again.

"Ikuto?" One asked, he was older then the rest, red hair messily resting on his head.

"That's Tsukiyomi-sensi's name!" A younger girl with pig tails proclaimed.

"But why are they in trouble." The last two asked at the same time. One was a doll faced girl with long blonde hair and the other was a boy with long purple hair and girlish features.

"It's a long story and I'll explain of the way-nya!"

* * *

_Please RXR_


	10. Pain, help, and secrets

_Hahaha, time to torture Ikuto...-evilself leaves- I like the end XD. Any who enjoy this chapter._

_I disown everything but the storyline  
_

* * *

It hurt to wake up; he seriously thought he was dying. Yeah, waking up should just go somewhere else. At least he knew he could still feel things, even if it hurt like heck. He couldn't hear much, just mutters, a lot of mutters, they were far off. He couldn't see, sight was blurry, and there was something blinding him, and it hurt a whole lot more then anything else that hurt him. Pain was flooding and pulsing everywhere, he didn't know it if it was a good thing to feel his own heart beat.

He tried to move, curl up, crawl way, roll over, anything. Nothing worked, it hurt too much, and he couldn't move a limp. So many thoughts connect to the pain ran through his head, he could figure out where he was. Someone screamed, and he froze, they sounded close, like right next to him, but he could see anyone with his blurred sight. He figured it out eventually, he was the one had screamed, it was him and just him, and it hurt.

"Looks like he's conscious again." Some said, they were close to him too, but it wasn't him. "Someone informed the Director!"

Reality started pounding its way through the pain. He was in the hands of his step father, that's why he hurt so much. All those test and possible cures that made him laugh, they were all lies. He didn't remembered what happened, he remembered to a point, the shock from behind, then this. He could hear people running around; he could hear machines around too as his hearing sharpened to its usual level.

"So you wake up again, finally." His step father said, sounding concerned. "I was worried about you."

"B.S." He snapped, before more pain slammed into his body.

"Ikuto I want to help you, don't be so cold." His step father snapped, Ikuto was biting back a scream. "However it seems that whatever was in that violin bonded with you, and I can't do anything from there. That is of course without killing you."

"IKUTO!" Someone yelled, he knew the voice, female, he couldn't place it though. Again the pain was clouding his mind, however the voice stuck and echoed, and he froze again. Amu, she was still there.

"You know, I could freakin' care less about what you can do!" Ikuto snapped. "Maybe my father did it to hide something from you!"

"What would that be?"

"Like I would know!"

Pain slammed in to the table it seemed, whatever they were doing it hurt a lot. He didn't know if he was moving or anything, or if he would even block this time from his brain, just make it all black.

"STOP IT!" Amu yelled again, he wanted to know where she was.

"Will someone shut her up!" His step father snapped.

"Hinamori-san!" Damn, Tadase was still here too.

"Enough!" He yelled, he wanted to quiet, even if it meant more pain for him, he just wanted to hear nothing, it hurt more then anything.

The world did go quiet, or he blacked out again, he didn't know he didn't care.

* * *

"Hey!" They froze at the commanding female voice. They didn't know who it was, but it made them stop. "What are you doing here!? You don't look like you work here."

Each slowly turned to the blonde idol behind them, still afraid she would give them away, she was maybe a few years older then them. Her hands were on her hips and she purple eyes were staring them down, like burning a whole through them. They gulped and exchanged glances, how would they explain why there were here. Because 'some miniature human cat thing told us too', sounded like something that would work.

"Uh…" Kukai started, trying to think of something, and asking for an autograph would probably result in guards.

"Utau-chan!" Yoru cried happily as he came out of hiding, the Guardians froze. Yoru had filled them in on just about everything they needed to know, this was just something they would have liked to know.

"Yoru?" Utau asked, blinking at the creature. "Where's Ikuto-neko?"

"Somewhere in this building, your step father sent people to go pick him up at work." Yoru informed. "I got help." He laughed nervously, as Utau looked over at the help she had yelled at.

"They all know?"

"No-nya."

"They why did you get them?" Utau asked growing annoyed.

"Our friends got dragged in as well." Nadeshiko said with a soft smile. Utau blinked slightly, tilting her head to the side slightly. "Tadase-kun and Amu-chan."

"Tadase-kun!" She shouted. "Fine then, this way."

* * *

Amu watched him go limp for the fourth time, she was shaking and Tadase had discovered he could do little to comfort her. Course it wasn't much easier for him, really. He may not have known what Ikuto was hiding from the world, and Amu may have, but he was watching to people suffer and he couldn't do anything about it really. Amu was losing her voice, and he was losing his sanity it seemed. Nothing made any sense any more.

They both had lost track of time, it could have been late at night or half way through the next day, they didn't know. Tadase wasn't even sure if he could trust the way he was counting time. Ikuto would pass out for about three hours, he figured that, be conscious for about thirty minutes, before falling back into the blackness. So he was guess they had been there for fourteen or so hours, and neither seemed to have slept a wink.

Amu's eyes were fixed on Ikuto was strapped down to a medical table. Whatever they were doing to him, it seemed to hurt him a lot. He always seemed to come out of this haze; Amu had been watching him closely. She was happy that he was peaceful now; he had yelled enough before stillness and calmness washed over him, now it looked like he was sleeping.

"Hinamori-san?" Tadase asked, she didn't turn, afraid she would miss something, however she nodded to signal she was heard. "Are you ok?"

"To be honest, I'm fine now, happy….and dreading." Amu admitted.

"Why?"

"Cause he's resting, I mean look at him; you wouldn't think he was in pain or anything. Also cause eventually he'll wake up and everything will start over again."

"I know."

"I can't do anything!" She snapped, looking down at her feet and shaking. "I can only sit here and watch, maybe get him to do something he doesn't want to. Tadase-kun, I don't want that."

"I've noticed." Tadase said, he was such little comfort. "But you are right about the peaceful thing. Whatever their doing to him, he's not feeling it." He was trying so hard to bring comfort to her.

"Yeah…"

"Hinamori-san?"

"Hm?"

"You know it's only a matter of time before someone comes looking for us. I'm sure they'll find Ikuto and help him."

For the first time in like fourteen hours she turned to him. Her eyes were sparkling with hope at the words, he had a point. However the flickering hope in her eyes, didn't stop him from noticing the fact that she was worried and had been crying. She gave a small weak smile, something that could encourage them to go one until they were found.

"Maybe someone's noticed." She said hopeful.

"I'm sure our parents have." Tadase smiled back. "They've probably called around."

Silence fell on them; it was nice, seeing as how Ikuto was out cold and not in pain or hurting himself as he tried to do something. Most of the workers had left, there were only a few still lounging around incase Ikuto woke up and did something. Like he really could, he would stir a little, fight the holds, scream in pain, have an argument with his step father then go limp again. It's not like it would magically go a way, or he was faking it.

"Ah, Hinamori-san?" Tadase asked after a while of silence, he couldn't take it really.

"Yeah?" She turned to him again, obviously getting that Ikuto was fine and peaceful.

"What is Ikuto's secret?" Amu bit her lip and looked away.

"It's hard to explain…he's better at it…but then again he doesn't really have to do a whole lot."

"Just try to explain it." Amu took a deep breath.

"I don't know how he got like that, just the fact that his father's violin was the cause of it. He wasn't born…normal."

"He looks normal."

"You haven't seen his ears have you?"

"I never saw him much and when I did he was always wearing a hat, and his hair would hide them."

"There's a reason."

"I know, what exactly is the reason."

"Uh…they're kinda cat ears." She gave a weak smile, almost like 'Please believe me' or 'I'm not that crazy'.

"Right…" Tadase said thinking maybe she should see some after this. However he didn't push it any further then that, just kinda left it there and the silence returned.

* * *

After what seemed to be forever the doors opened, and they raced out. Yoru and Utau were leading the way, and the rest of the Guardians were following behind the two. It didn't take them long to find Tadase and Amu, both were rather wide eyes and shaken, however they seemed to miss Ikuto completely.

"Oi, King!" Kukai shouted and both Tadase and Amu jumped, slightly from there they were.

"Souma-san!" Tadase said happily, Amu wordlessly showed the same excitement.

"Where are the keys?" Rima asked smoothly, a silence feel on them, before a jingling was heard and Yoru was hovering above them with it. "Oh."

Nadeshiko didn't waste any time unlocking the two from their box. Amu darted out, with a quick thanks. Yoru followed close behind her, then the rest of the group figured it was best to follow her. It didn't take them long to realize she was running to Ikuto who was in the middle of the room. Utau raced to catch up, everyone else did too. It was weird to see their music teacher strapped down to a hospital bed in the middle of some room in the basement of a huge cooperation. Amu tore through the straps, along with Utau's help, just as Ikuto started to stir.

"What the hell was that?!" Ikuto snapped bitterly, bring his hand to his forehead.

"Ikuto?" Amu asked, his eyes looked over at her; there wasn't too much pain in them. "You're ok, right?"

"You could say that." He said with a small wince, before sitting up on the bed and looking around. His ears popped up curiously, moving about like a radar, obviously picking up the small sounds.

"Amu-chan?" Yaya asked, breaking the strange uneasy silence that came over the Guardians. Ikuto snapped his head to the new voice, finding ten eyes staring up at his ears. Awkwardness found a home spot with between them.

* * *

_Please RXR _


	11. Fate was never nice

_I'm doing this because I'm bored and have nothing to do. Oh and that you everyone for the reviews, I loves you all. -hugs-  
_

_I disown everything except the story line.  
_

* * *

He glared at Yoru and Utau, who were doing their best to explain to him what happened without words. He had gotten out of the bed, rather painfully, but he did it on his own. He assured Amu it was nothing compared to what it was, she looked glad about that, course he didn't tell exactly how much less it was. However he was standing know, and not passing out so he was good in his mind. Then again he had five people staring at him like it was some kind of joke, that wasn't so good in his mind.

"You really weren't lying." Tadase said pointing at Ikuto who was wearing his usual face, grin and all. Ikuto tail flickered with movement, his ears still listening to the world him.

"Who wasn't lying?" Ikuto asked, though his glance turned to Amu, who looked down.

"Hinamori-san, Utau-chan, that's Ikuto's secret." Tadase said shocked, all three nodded, the rest of the group grew shocked as well.

"That's why I call him Ikuto-neko, because he's part cat." Utau said quickly.

"But in class…" Yaya started.

"They're hidden; just imagine the first day if I walked in like that." Ikuto said smugly. "I would be more then just the new music teacher."

"But why are you like that?" Rima asked, Ikuto shrugged, he really didn't know, no one did, it was just the way things had to be, and how things played out.

Ikuto's ears caught the sound of footsteps, no doubt someone was coming to check up at him, maybe force some more of that pain juice in him. He turned slightly to the sound, hands in pockets, his body told the group someone was coming. He had no clue who though, much less what they could do if they discovered he was up and walking around, painfully, but it was still walking and that was bad to them.

"Ikuto?" Amu asked slowly.

"Someone's coming, and I have a feeling it won't be long before this room is crawling with lackeys that are looking for me." Ikuto said, his tail flickered quickly. "We need to get out of here before then." He turned to Utau quickly, wincing slightly. "You can get us out of here unnoticed?"

"I got them around, didn't I?" Utau said with a smirk.

"I suggest doing a round about plan, their coming from the elevator." Ikuto said, and Utau nodded. "Yoru, can you scout out ahead?" Yoru nodded, leaving to head down some back way he knew of.

Utau started after Yoru, followed closely by the Guardians, and Ikuto. It didn't take long before the alarm sound, and the halls and such flashed red. Ikuto grunted angrily, they all turned to him and the direction they had come from, expecting people to come that way. Ikuto turned back to them quickly, clearly he was going to do something he was going to regret but everyone else would be out of it.

"Utau, you can't make it to the elevator in time, much less without getting noticed. Yoru knows were the stairs are, or I hope he remembers at least." Ikuto said quickly. "Get everyone out of here, no matter what; just get them out of here."

"What about you?" Rima asked.

"I'll try to hold them off as long as I can." Ikuto replied. "Their after me, not you."

"Ikuto?!" Amu obviously wasn't going to just let him go like that. He shot her a look, more like he shot it to everyone, begging them to leave. Utau got them to leave, but Amu didn't budge, she waited till everyone was gone before speaking again. "Please don't."

"It's bad enough you got involved as is. I'll be fine Amu, I promise." He said with a promising tone, brushing some stray hairs away. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "Please, just go now, I promise, I'll catch up." He gave her an encouraging smile, but deep down he knew his promise of coming back would be an empty one.

He watched her leave and catch up, hearing Tadase yell for her to hurry up. He turned on his heels and raced down the hall, hating the fact that he was going to go though with this. It would be better this way, better for all of them. It had to be, there was no other way to insure their safety then with the action he had his heart set on.

He came back to where he was held before, and the room was flooded with men in suits and people looking for him. His step father was among them, doing nothing but shouting orders. Like he figured it didn't take to long for someone to find him and point him out. Then again it wasn't long before the was throwing them around or dodging their attacks with nimble movements and flexibility. Things were knocked over, just like he wanted, his step father yelling orders, clearly not seeing the danger some where seeing and running from.

"Get back there and hold him down!" His step father uselessly ordered the fleeing men and personal. "Ikuto!"

"Yes?" He asked coolly, holding lighter in his hand, with a smirk on his face.

"Ikuto." His step father growled, Ikuto laughed.

"What do you want, or do you just like saying my name?"

"Ikuto…"

"Fine then." The lighter fell from his hand, igniting the flammable liquids beside him. The light quickly, spreading just as fast. His step father scrabbled away, enough to get away safety, Ikuto looked at the burning surroundings, there was little he could do now. He turned and started walking away slowly, knowing the fire was spreading quicker then he was moving.

It had to be like this, it had to go down this way, it just had too. There was only a set time and he was fixing on not making it, even though deep down he didn't want to. It had to be like this, it had to, there was no other way, or not that he could think of. Either way it would hurt both ends of the deal more then anything.

There was a hissing sound, not much longer, or so he hoped. The more his time ticked away the more he wanted to leave here, screw the only way, he would think of some other way or something. He bolted, hoping his step father was stuck waiting somewhere while he went out the back door. Course he wasn't planning on the size.

Fire kicked open the door and demanded it way up the stairs. The force just seemed to rip through everything, and his arms were little help for a shield. His head hurt, heck his whole body was screaming with pain and heat. Fate was always cruel to him, why should it suddenly be in his favor now, even when something had gone right, it destroyed it, took it out from under him. It had to be like this, he was sure.

* * *

Amu didn't know where the fire came from, much less the sound, the boom, any of it. It blew windows out, causing everyone to hit the floor and stay there. Firefighters were there shortly after, pulled the shocked teens away to safety where they could just watch the whole thing go down. People went in and come out with another; she watched closely, she knew no one. Maybe someone here and there whole had walked about the basement, they knew about Ikuto.

She prayed he would get out, he had to he promised. She dreaded the command, but there was nothing she could do when it came. They pulled back, letting the building burn, along with anything inside. There was another boom, another explosion, his promise wasn't kept.

"Ikuto…" She said watching the building burn with everyone else. She felt someone's hand find her shoulder, she turned finding Tadase, doing his best to comfort her, it wasn't much easier for him.

"He's gone, Amu…I'm sorry." She hated him so much for saying those words, but she knew they were the truth, nothing but the sad truth.

They were left standing there, just watching, not wanting to move or do anything. It was over, there was no more music teacher any more, no unlucky black cat, no Ikuto-neko, and no Ikuto at all. It was all gone in a flash; it blew up in their face, literally.

* * *

Amu knew Ikuto would like to go unnoticed, it would be better if less people know, like really knew what happened. To the class he got a better job offer in America, depressed was a feeling that was held and harbored for a while, but there was little they could do. It was the same story to the staff got; they even made a fake call so they would believe it.

Summer came slowly, slugging its way in into their lives. Utau and Amu became close friends, cooping with the same problem, as hard as it was, it was something that both needed. Kukai and Utau hooked up as well, Amu didn't know how other then the fact that he did. It was funny to her almost, the two were like enemies that loved each other, anything was a challenge between them, but it was them and they were happy.

Amu played her violin in the park, sometimes in Ikuto's secret spot, where they had formed a small little grave, fitting and out of sight. There were other times when she played in some hidden corner and some people found her. Like Ikuto, she played on what she was feeling usually a sad tone worked the strings, but all the same people loved it, encouraging to go on to a life as a professional.

There were some things though Amu did because she needed to, not because she wanted to. Playing was one of them; Ikuto had rubbed of on her. Though he was gone, it was like he never left her side.

* * *

_Bah-hahahahahaha I was kissing up at the start, but what I said was true. Anyway, don't hate me -sad face-_

_Please RXR_


	12. Epilogue

_I am worse than evil... I am the author! HAHAHAHAHA there's another chapter and that's it. Its short but its the end. XD Enjoy!_

_I disown everything but the storyline  
_

* * *

A year an a half had gone by and things were set in stone. She would be going to college soon, leave her life and sorrows behind. Of course a part would always be there, there wasn't much she could do about that, the fire had done that. Her friends moved on, they had lives and such, they weren't going to waste it away mourning, not that she would either, but she would slowly forget him.

He wanted her to be safe, so in away moving on was something she needed to do, but she couldn't do it easily. She had picked up a boyfriend six months ago. He was a nice boy, her age; he was everything most girls would want. Course that didn't mean he was everything Amu wanted, he was normal, and she seemed to like the weird and strange, things she couldn't explain. He wasn't Ikuto either, but then again there was really only one Tsukiyomi Ikuto. Amu however hoped her feels would turn away from their previous holder and to him. They didn't all that much, even though he spoiled her with loves and such.

They were coming home from the movies and dinner, both happy and full. Hiko, her boyfriend, didn't know that she was thinking the movie over, realizing how close it was to her love life almost. That movie had made her think about Ikuto more then she usually had. She was rather quiet on the walk home, looking at the falling snow as it hit the ground.

They reached her house and he walked her to the door, not leaving when she bid him goodbye. He looked at her, watched her closely.

"Amu-chan, you don't have to try any more." Hiko said looking at her straight in the eye, she was rather taken back. "I know you don't love me, so don't try any more."

"What are you talking about?" She faked a laugh, even in reality it was an emotional stab to the heart.

"You can't get over him. Whatever feelings he planted in you the roots are deep. You know that, so stop pretending. It's hurting you and I'm sure its hurting him too. He can't get over you either."

"You really don't know what happened to him do you." She said fiddling with her keys, laughing as she fought back the tears, he shock his head, and she bit her lip. "He died, in the Easter Fire a year and a half ago, okay!" She snapped bitterly.

Hiko blinked, why was he so shocked. He didn't say anything, Amu didn't really care. She opened the door and slammed in his face, racing up to her room, ignoring her parents greeting and questions. She slammed her door shut and locked it. Launching herself onto the pillow, crying like she had the whole first week.

* * *

He turned on his heels and left the property. He was a smart kid, very observant, course for a while he thought it was just some relative or something, like an over protective uncle or brother she didn't talk about much. Over time though he knew that was wrong. He strolled over to the nearby tree walking past it slightly before stopping.

"Is it really worth it, seeing her like that I mean?" He said gently, hearing the soft thud as a figure jumped down.

"You did that on purpose." The figure said in a deep voice.

"Yeah, cause I thought she thought you were alive." He heard a chuckle from the figure.

"It's better this way."

"Really?" He walked away not wanting an answer. The figure turned to look at him, or his back really. Once he was out of hearing distance the figure smirked, his familiar smirk, his tail swishing about in the cold night air. He turned back to the house, looking at the light in Amu's room.

"I ask the same question everyday…I still don't know the answer." He said softly, before walking off with his hands in his pockets. "Maybe it will become clear, but I did it for…Amu."

* * *

_I pulled everyones leg, right? Any way, there will be a sequel (I hope), but I really hoped you like this story._

_Please RXR  
_


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